Improvement in stirrups



'UNITED SnTns PATENT OFFICE.

ORLANDO V. FLORA, OF MADISON, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, ALOIS D. HOLSTEIN, HOMER SERING, AND JNO. Gr. MOORE.

IMPROVEMENT IN lSTIRRUPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 150,554, dated May 5, 1874; application file-d March 14,1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ORLANDO V. FLORA, of Madison, in the county of Jeiferson and State of Indiana, have invented certain Improvements in Stirrups, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to that class of stirrups made from wood steamed and bent into the proper form.

The common method of making the wooden stirrup is to bend the Wood into the proper shape, place a rounded block between the ends and secure them together by rivets which pass through all. The stirrup-strap passes around the above-named block. Stirrups made in this manner split easily, and are far from durable.

The principal `object of my invention is to tie together the ends of the bent stirrup in a neat, strong, and durable manner, without the use of rivets, nails, screws, or any like device.

-My method of construction is also as cheap as the one in common use.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of my stirrup. Figs. 1a and lb are detached views of the important features. Fig. 2 is a top view 5 and Fig. 3 an end view of the stirrup.

A represents the body of the stirrup made from a strip of wood of uniform thickness, steamed and bentinto the proper shape. Across the outer faces of the ends of the stirrup-body, near the top, are grooves a c. A rectangular metallic band, B, provided with projecting iianges or ribs c c ou two of its inner faces, incloses the ends of the stirrup-body in such a manner that the ribs c c enter the grooves co a, they being made to iit each other neatly. The two inner faces of the band B contiguous to the stirrup-body are-beveled in about the degrec shown in Fig. l, and the sides of the body A incline inward toward each other at the top at the saine angle. A rounded block, C, beveled at the ends to correspond with the inclined sides of the stirrup-body, is driven upward between the said sides with force sufi ficient` to press the ribs c c tightly into the grooves a a, and thus lock all firmly together. rIhe stirrup-strap (not shown) passes around the block C within the frame or band B, the spaces c c (see Fig. 2) being left for the passage of said strap. The sides ggof the band B serve to effectually prevent the stirrup from slipping edgewise iu the strap or getting upside down. Y

As all the strain on the block C tends to force it upward, it will be seen that this only serves to hold the several parts more firmly together. v

In constructing the ordinary bent-wood stirrup, it is usual to leave the wood thicker at the bottoni than at the sides, so as to form what is called the tread.7 I obviate this extra work by making the stirrup-body of uniform thickness, and throwing up an arch, d, in the bottom during' the bending process.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is

The metallic band B, provided with ilanges or ribs c o, in combination with a wooden stirrup-body, A, provided with "grooves a a and a beveled block or cross-bar, O, substantially in the manner shown, and for the purposes set forth.

ORLANDO V. FLORA.

Vitnesses:

J. C. ROBERTS, .Tor-IN G. SERING. 

